Live Well Living Together brings communities together across Rhondda Cynon Taf

In January, Trivallis welcomed sheltered housing tenants from across Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) to take part in our Live Well Living Together campaign. The sessions were designed to give tenants a safe space to talk about life in shared housing, explore challenges they face and share ideas for building more respectful, supportive communities. By encouraging open discussion and listening to tenants’ experiences, the sessions aimed to prevent conflict, improve relationships between neighbours, and help everyone feel more confident and connected in their homes.

Held during the second week of January, the sessions took place in sheltered housing schemes across RCT. Separate sessions for men and women were offered to create comfortable spaces for open discussion and encourage meaningful participation.

The events were delivered in partnership with Safer Merthyr Tydfil and New Pathways, two organisations with extensive experience supporting people and communities. Tenants were invited to share their views and reflections, drawing on their own life experience to help shape future approaches to community support.

The sessions focused on listening, learning and exploring how respect, kindness and empathy can help create welcoming and supportive communities.

Karl Hazzard, SMT described the sessions as: “It’s all about having conversations. We kept things relaxed but practical so everyone felt comfortable taking part. People shared ideas, learned from each other and left feeling more confident about how to look out for themselves and their neighbours.”

Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive of New Pathways described the sessions as: “Creating environments where people feel listened to, respected, and safe is central to our work. The training workshops, focusing on what sexual harassment and sexual violence can look like for older people, and the impact this can have, provided tenants with a supportive space to talk openly about their experiences. These sessions not only offered vital information but also helped people recognise their own resilience and the strength found in community support.  It has been incredibly moving to witness such honest conversations and to see the positive change that occurs when individuals feel empowered and connected. We are proud to work alongside Trivallis and Safer Merthyr Tydfil on an initiative that is already helping tenants feel more confident in their homes and in their relationships with those around them.”

Live Well Living Together is the first initiative of its kind in Wales. The feedback gathered will help inform future services and demonstrates the strength of Trivallis’ sheltered communities and their willingness to support one another.

Following the success of the partnership with New Pathways, the organisation has secured funding from the Welsh Government to continue delivering the sessions, meaning even more older people will be able to benefit. Learnings from the project are now being shared through EROSH (Emerging Role of Sheltered Housing) so other social landlords and their communities can adopt similar approaches.

What began as a simple conversation about how to better address antisocial behaviour in sheltered schemes has grown into an initiative now influencing practice more widely, a strong example of how listening to tenants and working in partnership can lead to meaningful, lasting change.

Christine, Sheltered and Supported Housing Manager, touched upon the importance of the sessions: “Living in a sheltered setting is unique because the environment is shared so closely. If someone has experienced difficult situations in the past, those experiences can still feel present in their daily space. Our aim is to work with everyone involved to prevent issues and create a supportive environment where people feel safe to open up and reflect, helping them move forward positively.”

Trivallis would like to thank all tenants who took part, along with Safer Merthyr Tydfil and New Pathways for their continued partnership and commitment to such an important topic.